BRISTOL, TENN. — Clint Bowyer hopped off his pit stand at Bristol Motor Speedway to learn he had won the fan vote to advance into NASCAR’s All-Star Race — an announcement met by a roar from the grandstands.
It wasn’t the raucous ovation typically heard in Thunder Valley, but after four months of near silence, it was better than nothing.
Up to 30,000 fans were allowed to attend Wednesday night’s race, NASCAR’s largest with spectators since the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports in March. Attendance figures were not released, but it appeared at least 20,000 spectators were socially distanced throughout the grandstands — likely making it the largest crowd for a sporting event in the United States since winter.